The nutritional and medicinal values of mango have been extensively elaborated in ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of medication and treatment that is mainly based on plants. The fruit of the mango tree, both unripe as well as ripe, is used by people from different Indian cultures for different food preparations. Ripe mangoes are non-fibrous and can be cut into slices and pieces. You can also suck on a ripe mango(Mangoes could be both fibrous and non-fibrous. While the fibrous fruits grow from directly from the seeds the non-fibrous fruits grow mostly on the branches - one mango tree grafted onto another.

Unripe mangoes are usually pickled in oil. Prepared with spices and condiments and preserved in a variety of oils, such as mustard oil, groundnut oil, etc. the mango pickle is one of the staples items of traditional Indian cuisine. The mango pickle is usually sour in taste. Besides pickles, you can also prepare a large variety of mango sauces and jams that taste both sweet as well as sour.

The spices and condiments used in different mango preparations also vary from one region to another across India. To prepare mango jam, a delicacy made from ripe mangoes, an east Indian, for example, would use cardamom, while a west Indian would use mustard seeds. A north Indian would, on the other hand, use black pepper for the same preparation, whereas a south Indian would use cinnamon.

Unripe mangoes are used in various Indian dishes to improve the taste and also add flavor. Layers of pulp of both ripe and unripe mango are preserved to make one of the most sought after mango delicacies,(the Hindi name for the delicacy is aampapad) which is relished by most mango-lovers.

Ripe mango pulp dipped in milk and sugar is a traditional Indian delicacy, the modern version of which is the milk shake, one of the most nutritious health drinks. No account of health drinks is complete without a mention of mango squash and mango juice. From the traditional form of pure mango fruit juice to the modern version in crushable packs, mango juice is an invigorating health drink.

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